UNEP with the support of Chintan conducted a training programme with Munger Municipal Corporation targeting students (on waste segregation, SUPs and alternatives) on 12th December 2024. The programme was attended by more than 80 students from schools in Munger. The workshop was a part of the continued effort to promote awareness of plastic waste management amongst the student community.
UNEP with its implementing partner National Productivity Council (NPC) conducted a workshop on 8th August, 2024 for the stakeholders in Vadodara city on banned single use plastic and alternatives. The stakeholders included plastic manufacturers, recyclers, municipal officials and NGOs. The aim was to spread awareness regarding the regulation on 19 categories of banned single use plastic commodities and their sustainable alternatives..
UNEP with its implementing partner National Productivity Council (NPC) conducted a workshop on 2nd July, 2024 for the officials from Patna Municipal Corporation, and members of NGOs on spreading awareness on banned single use plastics and their alternatives. The training programme was chaired by the Additional Commissioner, Patna and the workshop aimed at highlighting SUPs banned and promoting their sustainable alternatives.
UNEP with support of Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) and Munger Municipal Corporation conducted a training programme targeting teachers (on plastic related concepts training) on 4th July, 2024. The programme was inaugurated by the Hon. Mayor of Munger. The workshop aimed at promoting awareness relating to single use plastics and plastic waste management amongst teachers in Munger, Bihar.
UNEP with support of Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) and Munger Municipal Corporation organized a mass workshop for the students and youth of Munger on 3rd July 2024. The event was attended by more than 300 students and other participants and was chaired by the Hon. Mayor of Munger. The workshop aimed at promoting awareness on plastics pollution and waste management in Munger, Bihar.
UNEP organized a capacity building workshop with the support of CPCB, BSPCB and CIPET on EPR for plastic packaging for PWPs and Municipal Corporations at the BSPCB on 18th January 2024. The workshop was chaired by the Chairman, BSPCB and saw the participation of experts from MOEF&CC and CPCB. This aimed to discuss potential challenges faced by stakeholders with implementation of EPR and features of the CPCB EPR...
UNEP organised a thematic event at WSDS 2024 on “Challenges and solutions for reducing marine plastic pollution” on 8th Feb 2024. Event was attended by Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change, Govt. of India and Ministry of Climate and Environment, Govt. of Norway. The objective was to discuss key challenges, solutions and opportunities regarding plastic waste management and marine plastic litter in India. The World Sustainable Development...
UNEP is working with Municipal Corporation of Munger to support them on plastics waste management and EPR. In this regard, UNEP conducted an awareness and capacity building session addressing Single use plastics in Munger city in Bihar on 17 October, 2023. The stakeholder group attending the awareness workshop included Self Help Groups of women from the sector. The event was chaired by the city Mayor, and Deputy Mayor,...
An event was held on 17th October, 2022 in New Delhi to mark the culmination of The India-Norway cooperation project on capacity building for reducing plastic and chemical pollution in India (INOPOL) and to disseminate its findings. The INOPOL project was a part of India-Norway Joint Marine Pollution Initiative, and it involved partnership of key Indian and Norwegian organisations working in the sustainability space to explore various dimensions...
UNEP, as a part of ICSE 2023, conducted a session on the Tide turner Plastic Challenge (TTPC) on 20th September 2023 with specific focus on youth leaders, champions, other entrepreneurs who are active in promoting environmentally sustainable practices and disseminating environment education. The session aimed at show casing career opportunities for youth to continue with their passion to fight the plastic menace through choosing careers or undertaking jobs...
As part of the International Coastal Cleanup Day on the 17th September, 2022, and INOPOL Project partner institutions: SRM, MGC, TERI, NIVA, CIPET and Toxics Link jointly organised a beach clean-up program at Besant Nagar Beach, Chennai. The event was led by Ms. Beate Kvaernes Langset, Counsellor for Climate and Environment, Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi, Dr. Paromita Chakraborty, Mr. Nathaniel Bhakupar Dkhar and enthusiastic students of...
On the occasion of International Coastal Cleanup Day 2023, a capacity-building workshop on microplastics and persistent organic pollutants sampling was conducted at the Cauvery River in Trichy as part of the India-Norway cooperation project on capacity building for reducing plastic and chemical pollution in India (INOPOL). The workshop was conducted by REACH, SRMIST and the Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA). Project partners include Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering...
SINTEF and JSW Cement conducted pilot tests at the JSW-Nandyal Cement Plant in Andhra Pradesh from May 28-30, 2024. The tests involved two NRPW streams: (1) Multi-layered packaging plastics (MLP), co-processed at a rate of 9 tonnes/hour, and (2) NRPW from dumpsite remediation, co-processed at 13 tonnes/hour. SGS Limited performed independent emission monitoring, with results pending. The Nandyal plant is recognized for its energy efficiency and ranks among...
Pilots were conducted at the Vizag Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Incineration Plant from February 27-29, 2024, operated by Jindal. The plant currently processes 1,200 tons per day (t/d) of waste, generating 16 MW of electricity. During the pilot, three waste mixes were tested: (1) 100% Mixed Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), (2) 50% Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and 50% Mixed MSW, and (3) 75% RDF and 25% MSW. The MSW originated...
SINTEF and Dalmia Cement conducted pilot tests on two waste streams: (1) Refuse Derived Fuels (RDF) from municipalities and (2) NRPW from paper mills, from November 22-23, 2023. The pilot took place at the Dalmiapuram Cement Plant in Tamil Nadu, an 80-year-old facility that has been modernized over time. The tests were performed in Kiln Line 2, equipped with a chlorine bypass system. High feed rates were achieved...
The 13th International Conference on Sustainable Waste Management & Circular Economy (IconSWM-CE) & IPLA Global Forum 2023 was held from November 29 to December 2 at K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management, Mumbai. Over 400 delegates from 44 countries participated, with SINTEF as one of the sponsors. Awards were presented to cement plants for achievements in co-processing RDF and plastic wastes, improving thermal substitution rates, and investing in...
A two day workshop was conducted to provide an in-depth understanding of waste inventory and current management, regulatory and institutional framework, programs and bi- and multi- lateral projects on waste management in Bhutan. And to discuss the results of pilot demonstration conducted in China, India, Vietnam and Thailand with non-recyclable plastic wastes. Cost recovery model were also discussed aimed at enhancing the utilization of segregates combustible fraction and...
UNEP, in collaboration with the Bihar SPCB, organised a meeting with plastic waste recyclers from Bihar on 25th July, 2023. The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss the challenges faced by recyclers in registering and meeting the requirements of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) online portal. The workshop was useful in addressing these issues which were essential to foster efficient collaboration between stakeholders and streamline recycling...
On the 12th of June, the Research Council of Norway and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised a conference to highlight efforts for Norwegian-Indian cooperation in research, education and innovation, as well as to place this cooperation in a larger geopolitical context. Introductions were given by Minister of Research and Higher Education, Ola Borten Moe, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt and Executive Director of the Research Council...
INOPOL Project partners kicked off the next phase of the project, building on momentum of the first phase to strengthen capacities to reduce plastic pollution and persistent organic pollutants in India, with a particular focus on the States of Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand. During the kick-off, scientists, and project partners from Norsk institutt for vannforskning (NIVA), Mu Gamma Consultants, SRM Institute Of Science and Technology KTR, Central Institute...
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) under the aegis of the India-Norway Pollution Initiative organized an online Workshop on “Alternatives to Single Use Plastic – A step towards Lifestyle for Environment (LIFE)” on June 05, 2023. The workshop aimed to support the LiFE initiative of Government of India by providing assistance to identify the most suitable alternatives to the identified banned SUP products in India. The program discussed various alternatives to the SUP products,...
SINTEF was one of the sponsors of the 19th Green Cementech organised by CII in Hyderabad. SINTEF made a keynote presentation on the OPTOCE project in the international conference and organised a special session on achieving higher utilisation of wastes in cement kilns. The report on the RDF business models was launched in the presence of CPCB and other stakeholders.
UNEP partnered with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to host an awareness event titled “Rally for garbage free cities – SWACHHOTSAV” on International Zero Waste Day 2023 as part of India’s celebration of the International Day of Zero Waste 2023.
Project partners, NIVA, CIPET, SRM, Toxics Link and MGC gathered for a 2-day kick-off workshop for Phase 2 of the INOPOL project. The workshop involved brainstorming on the possible solutions that can be offered to the state of Tamil Nadu in terms as also the application of learnings from Phase 1 of the project in Gujarat.
SINTEF and Geoclean (erstwhile Geocycle) have conducted a pilot demonstration with non-recyclable plastic wastes at Ambuja- Bhatapara Cement Plant in Chhattisgarh during 13-18 December 2022. Geoclean is the waste management arm of Adani Cement, which took over the Holcim assets in India (ACC and Ambuja Cement) in September 2022 and is the 2nd largest cement producer in India.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, New Delhi organized a hybrid workshop on ‘Single use plastics and marine plastics litter’ on 7th December 2022. The workshop was organized under the aegis of the “India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative”. and aimed to bring together policy makers, research institutions and state level authorities...
SINTEF organised a special session in the International Conference- 12th IconSWM-CE in Tirupati on 30th November 2022 in association with the IconSWM secretariat. In the special session, the keynote was delivered by Dr. Kåre Helge Karstensen, Chief Scientist- SINTEF and Programme Manager of the OPTOCE. IconSWM-CE felicitated the exceptional contributions made by the cement industry in co-processing. The awards were given to 13 Indian cement plants in four...
The Ocean Plastic Turned into an Opportunity in Circular Economy (OPTOCE) Regional Forum was organised by SINTEF in Bangkok during October 27–28, 2022 with the objective to investigate how the cement industry can be involved in increasing the treatment capacity for Non-Recyclable Plastic Wastes in five partner Asian nations: Thailand, China, India, Myanmar, and Vietnam, thereby reducing the release of plastics into the sea. During the two-day regional...
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), GIZ and, FICCI organized hybrid training workshops on “Registration on Centralized Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Portal for Plastic Packaging” under the India Norway Marine Pollution Initiative. The objectives of the workshop were to engage with producers, importers and brand-owners and plastic waste processors, sensitizing them on guidelines for EPR...
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), GIZ and, FICCI organized hybrid training workshops on “Registration on Centralized Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Portal for Plastic Packaging” under the India Norway Marine Pollution Initiative. The objectives of the workshop were to engage with producers, importers, brand owners, and plastic waste processors, sensitising them on guidelines for EPR...
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), GIZ and, FICCI organized hybrid training workshops on “Registration on Centralized Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Portal for Plastic Packaging” under the India Norway Marine Pollution Initiative. The objectives of the workshop were to engage with producers, importers and brand-owners and plastic waste processors, sensitizing them on guidelines for EPR...
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), GIZ and, FICCI organized hybrid training workshops on “Registration on Centralized Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Portal for Plastic Packaging” under the India Norway Marine Pollution Initiative. The objectives of the workshop were to engage with producers, importers and brand-owners and plastic waste processors, sensitizing them on guidelines for EPR...
Book Launch at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Delhi. Chargé d’affaires, Martine Aamdal Bottheim, with the authors and the publisher. Kåre Helge Karstensen (SINTEF) co-authored the book “Sustainable Management of Wastes through Co-processing” together with two Indian colleagues, Mr. Ulhas Parlikar, an expert on resource efficiency and circular economy and Prof. Sadhan Kumar Ghosh of Jadavpur University, Kolkata. The book was published in November 2021 by Springer, Singapore....
UNEP and iFOREST conducted a stakeholder consultation workshop on 28th July 2022 to examine the status of recycling of plastic packaging and examine opportunities for sustainable packaging. The project with iForest has been conceptualized under the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative to develop a roadmap for sustainable packaging in India.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India, under the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative, organized a virtual workshop on “Effective Plastic Waste Management to Tackle Plastic Pollution” on 30th June 2022. The agenda for the workshop was appropriately designed to carry out discussions related to plastics waste management at national and city levels, drawing upon experiences...
The INOPOL team held two virtual capacity building and training programmes on plastic and POPs pollution in August 2021and May 2022. Scientists, experts from the Central and State Pollution Control Boards (26 th -27 th August) and the broader research community (30 th -31 st August) and all the stakeholders (10-11 May 2022). The focus was on contemporary plastic waste management issues, including single-use plastics and extended producer...
Stakeholder consultation workshop on plastic waste management in Ahmedabad on February 25, 2022. The stakeholders were from Gujarat Pollution Control Board, UNICEF, urban local bodies and various government and non-government organizations.
Stakeholder consultation workshop on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Ahmedabad on February 25, 2022. The stakeholders were from Gujarat Pollution Control Board, UNICEF and various government and non-government organizations.
A thematic track titled ‘Reducing plastic and chemical pollution in the marine environment’ was organized by INOPOL during the World Sustainable Development Summit hosted by TERI on the 18th February 2022. Besides INOPOL scientists, eminent speakers from aligned ministries of Government of India and Norway presented at the event. 110 professionals attended the event and it was covered by 80 national and regional newspapers in India.
The high-level closing event of the Awareness campaign on Single-Use Plastics was organized on 20th December June 2021 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC), Government of India in association with the UNEP, GIZ, and FICCI. The awareness campaign consisted of four online regional events, along with a social media campaign on mitigation of plastic pollution.
Agra, known for its historical heritage, is a major footwear manufacturing hub, producing 9-10 lakh pairs daily and generating substantial pre-consumer waste that often pollutes open areas and drains. Immediate action from all stakeholders, including manufacturers and government authorities, is crucial for effective waste management. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) recently released a report at a consultation workshop, analyzing the footwear sector and its disposal practices....
Unlined and poorly designed dumpsites pose significant environmental and health risks, including greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. Recent efforts to bioremediate legacy waste have gained traction, particularly with the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 mandating Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to remediate existing dumpsites by 2023 and 2024, depending on population size. This initiative aims to address millions of tonnes of legacy waste in the coming years, with ULBs...
Plastic waste management is a significant global challenge, deeply embedded in our lives. While plastics are useful, their careless use threatens the environment. Recent efforts, including single-use plastic bans and extended producer responsibility, have gained traction, with the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 prioritizing plastic waste management. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) recently hosted a National Conclave to release its report on the plastic life cycle, gathering...
Methane, a potent short-lived climate pollutant, has more than doubled in atmospheric concentration due to human activities. It has a global warming potential 25 times greater than carbon dioxide and contributes to ground-level ozone, causing about one million premature deaths annually. In urban India, 160,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated daily, with 50-60% being biodegradable, primarily disposed of in landfills, which are the third-largest source of...
Marine litter, a major consequence of the global solid waste crisis, sees plastics comprising about 60% of ocean debris. A 2020 Pew Trusts report estimates that 11 million metric tonnes of plastic enter the oceans annually, harming marine life. Nearly 80% of this debris comes from land-based sources, while 20% originates from marine activities like fishing. India, with its 7,517 km coastline and rich ecosystems, faces significant challenges,...
Marine litter remains a global challenge, with 8-14 million tonnes of plastic entering oceans annually, 80% from poorly managed land-based waste and 20% from waterbody activities. In India, with its 7517 km coastline and significant fishing industry, marine litter is a pressing issue. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) created the Coalition of Coastal Cities to foster policy dialogue on marine litter. Recently, CSE organized a 3-day...
The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, classify Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs) as entities producing over 100 kg of waste daily, requiring them to manage biodegradable waste on-site. BWGs account for 30-40% of a city’s daily waste, and cities are mandated to integrate BWG management into their bye-laws. Despite these policies, managing BWGs remains a significant challenge. To address this, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) conducted studies...
The eight northeastern states of India—Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura—generate only 1.93% of the country’s urban waste, with over 85% collected. However, waste processing is a challenge, with Sikkim processing just 16.68%, while the rest ends up in landfills, waterbodies, and forests, threatening biodiversity. Factors like geographical diversity, limited connectivity, and tourism complicate waste management. To assess issue and develop a solid waste...
Plastics, while being integral to society, have reached unsustainable levels of production and consumption, necessitating global action. In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a landmark resolution mandating the establishment of an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop a legally binding instrument for combatting plastic pollution. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which has been monitoring the negotiations very closely and organised a national consultation...
CSE has partnered with the national policy think tank NITI Aayog for a pan India study to document the best practices in Solid Waste Management. The study has dived deep into sector specific aspects of solid waste management and capture how the stand out performers have paved the way to do things differently. The objective of the study is very well aligned with CSE’s “Forum of Cities that...
A webinar titled “Important but ignored? The role of the informal sector in a future international agreement on plastic pollution” was jointly organized by the India-Norway Cooperation Project to Reduce Plastic and Chemical Pollution in India (INOPOL) and the Asian Scientific Alliance for Plastic Pollution and Value Network Management (ASAP) on December 2, 2021.
A Special session on ‘Resource Recovery Options for Non-Recyclable Plastic Wastes (NRPW) in India to Prevent Marine Litter and Microplastics’ was conducted on 2nd December 2021. The session was organized and sponsored by SINTEF, with assistance from the 11th IconSWM- CE secretariat. The Special session was designed to discuss on various resource recovery management options and initiatives for Non-Recyclable Plastic Waste (NRPW) in India to Prevent Marine Litter...
Onsite trainings were conducted with active participation from city officials from 24 states. The trainings were conducted on the following broad domains under the municipal solid waste management: The objective of the programmes was to enable participants understand the essential legislation and compliance in implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) at the local bodies, and allied waste management issues prevailing in different contours of the country. The programmes...
Onsite trainings were conducted with active participation from city officials from 24 states. The objective of the programmes was to enable participants understand the essential legislation and compliance in implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) at the local bodies, and allied waste management issues prevailing in different contours of the country. The programmes basically encompassed lectures, case studies, dialogues, assignments and group activities viz. identifying challenges, and developing...
The Awareness campaign on Single-Use Plastics was launched on 8th June 2021 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India in association with the UNEP, GIZ, and FICCI. The awareness campaign consisted of four on-line regional events, along with a social media campaign on mitigation of plastic pollution. The fourth regional event for East & North-eastern region covering stakeholders from government, industry citizens...
A two-month long awareness campaign on Single-Use Plastics jointly organized by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India in collaboration with UNEP, GIZ, FICCI with was launched on 8th June 2021 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India across Northern India. The awareness campaign consisted of four online regional events, along with a social media campaign on mitigation of plastic...
An awareness campaign on Single-Use Plastics jointly organized by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India in collaboration with the UNEP, GIZ, FICCI in collaboration was launched on 8th June 2021 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India across Northern India. The awareness campaign consisted of four on-line regional events, along with a social media campaign on mitigation of plastic...
UNEP in partnership with RTSOI conducted the CEO round table on sustainable tourism that led to 14 signatories from the Indian hospitality sector signing the pact on Global Tourism Plastics Initiative. The workshop was in alignment with the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and with an objective to enhance engagement and participation of industry stakeholders in transition of Tourism sector towards sustainability pathway.
On the occasion of World Oceans Day, a two-month awareness generation campaign on plastic waste management and elimination of identified single use plastic items was launched by Mr Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. Mr Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Government of Germany and Dr Dechen Tsering, Regional Director, Asia and the Pacific, UN Environment Programme were present during the launch along with Mr Dilip...
SINTEF was one of the organisers of the online Workshop on ‘Environmental Restoration and Circular Economy’. The workshop was organised on 12.6.2021. Dr. Kåre Helge Karstensen, Chief Scientist and Programme Manager- OPTOCE made a presentation on the progress of the OPTOCE project and on EU’s Green Deal. This event was a pre-meeting of the 11th IconSWM-CE 2021 conference scheduled in December 2021. The Workshop was attended by more...
During the 10th International Conference on Sustainable Waste Management towards a Circular Economy the OPTOCE project hosted a Special Session (online) with presentation of OPTOCE-activities from all our Partner Countries (3. December 2020). This was a closed session with invited participants. This was the first time when OPTOCE partners from China, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, were brought together on a virtual platform to discuss about the progress...
The webinar explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on key aspects of the waste management ecosystem, including the implications of the pandemic on the informal sector as well as the generation and handling of biomedical and plastic wastes. The INOPOL team presented findings from a pilot study titled ‘Plastic and Biomedical Waste Management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Surat and Delhi’ conducted from May-September 2020. In addition,...
His excellency Minister Sveinung Rotevatn, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway formally inaugurated the INOPOL event on February 17, 2020 at the Sabarmati river front in Ahmedabad.